Last Week, I attended the workshop called Small Talk: It’s a Big Deal. I started getting interested in this particular workshop when I saw it as an option because sometimes making small talk is not one of my best features. At the workshop itself, the presenter began by introducing herself to everyone there individually. She introduced herself as Ellen Stein and shook each person’s hand. Then she talked about a few tips out of 50 to help with making small talk with people. Some of these tips include being the first to say hello, and to avoid certain topics with people that you are not very familiar with/ After, she asked if we would be comfortable having a conversation people we do not know in a room full of strangers. If we were comfortable with that, she wanted to know how much. At first I thought I would not be very comfortable at all talking to someone that I am unfamiliar with. However, towards the end of her presentation, I felt more confident in myself with making small talk with a stranger. During her presentation, we did exercises in small talk to help practice our skills. We asked other people in the room about their basic information to get to know them a little bit more. This was not very hard because the topics that we talked about were given to us. We were told what to say so we did not struggle in trying to think of something to talk about with the other person. So whenever we are talking someone new, there should be a few topics already in mind to discuss with them. Some of these topics include discussions about the weather or good foods. So making small is not hard because there is fear of meeting someone new. Making small can be hard when there is nothing to talk about. But now, I’ll have a few topics already in mind to talk about with someone new.
Tag: Career
Small Talk: It’s a big deal!
Last Wednesday on November 8th, 2017, I attended the workshop Small Talk: It’s a big deal. I logged onto the STARR Search and RSVP’ed for this workshop. This was the only workshop that fit with my schedule and didn’t interfere with any of my classes. Even though this was the only choice I had, I am very glad to have attended this workshop because it was very helpful. This workshop was able to help teach me things that I could use on a daily basis. Small talk helps with daily social interaction and helps people branch out and meet new people. Since this workshop from the STARR Search was helpful, I may attend other workshops as well. This workshop didn’t really help me explore my career goals. Instead, it helped me by giving me tips on how to be more comfortable with doing small talk, which I can use for future scenarios.
In the workshop, we each grabbed an activity paper and a student guide for small talk. Before the presentation started, the presenter went around the room and introduced herself while shaking our hands. She gave us all a warm smile as she introduced herself. The activity sheet was used when we had to talk to the people around us and see who fit the description. For example, one line would say “_________ likes the same music.” I would have to make small talk with those around me to find out who liked the same music as me.
A lot of the tips given were things that I already knew/was logical. A tip that I learned which I found pretty helpful was that looking into the spot in between the eyebrows of another person looks like you are actually looking into their eyes when you are not.
Career Workshop
On October 30th, I attended a Starr Career Development Workshop for internships. It provided me knowledge on resources that I can use to find internships and apply for them. Before I went to the workshop, I did not know much about internships and the different kinds that are available to me. For example, I did not know that there were credit internships and that unpaid internships without compensation are illegal. I also learned about On Campus Recruitment, which is when representatives from companies come to the Baruch campus to interview and recruit students for interning. Although it sounded like a very competitive and difficult application process, I am considering on applying for it. During the workshop, I learned more about paid internships and that they must pay at least minimum wage. For credit internships, I learned that they can you can receive credit for certain courses when you intern. Baruch has a lot of resources for internships, including workshops and tutorials. They also provide help with making resumes. The presenter talked about how to write a resume and gave us guidelines to use. Although I already knew how to write one, it is good to refresh my memory on how to write it. The presenter also talked about interviews and how to present yourself during one. He went over what would happen during an interview and what type of questions interviewers would ask. He also went over how we should prepare for interviews and that after interviews, it is polite to send a thank you letter to the interviewer(s).
It is best to start an internship as soon as possible, but I might want to wait until sophomore year to apply for one. I’m not quite sure what I would like to do, but I know I would prefer a paid internship over a credit internship.
Dining Etiquette Workshop
For the last blog, I went to a Starr Career Development Center Workshop with two of my friends. In this dining etiquette workshop, I learned the proper table manners that need to be follow during an interview. Typically, after the first round of interview, you will be contact for a formal food interview. In this interview, your’re expected to act a certain way to make a good impression. First, we were served food. I expected a full course meal but maybe my expectation is too high. We were served a buffet style of food but they ran out of pasta before we gotten our food, that’s kinda sad. At a formal dinner, the table was set up with multiple spoons and forks. Each course have its own utensils and we started with utensils on the outside and work your way in as the meal goes on. Keep in note that water is always place on the right. After you sat down, you should place the napkin on your lap and if you want to leave to use the restroom, place the napkin on right of your plate. In such interview, she suggests not bringing a bag, if you brought on, don’t hang it on your chair but to put it behind your back. However, the way I was taught was different from what the speaker said. I was told to place your bag on the floor to your left. Perhaps there’re different ways. She also mentioned that when ordering, we shouldn’t order neither the most expensive dish nor the cheapest dish. We order something that’s medium priced. In addition, males can either keep their blazers on or off but females must keep it on. Most importantly, don’t order any alcohol even if the employer asks you to because you don’t want to get drunk make a fool out of yourself. Also, the host should always pay. Overall, this workshop was informative and helpful for me in the future if I were to go to a formal food interview. Not only so, it will also be useful if I go eat at restaurants that require formal attire.
Dining Etiquette Workshop – Sabrina Chen
For the career event, I attended a Dining Etiquette Workshop for learning the proper manners and expectations of a formal food interview. I went with 2 of my friends for company and we all seemed to enjoy the event and also take away much knowledge and wisdom of this particular situation of a dining interview. Most of the time, people have to encounter interviews over food with their proposed employers. In this workshop, we learned what to do and what not to do during this formal meeting in a restaurant. We entered in a room with a buffet style speech. First, we were served food and we brought back our plates, while the guest speaker, spoke about the manners and expectations. She mentioned the different types of forks, knives and spoons that were placed, and that there is a certain order of eating, by using each utensil from the outside in. Then, she also mentioned that we should only order something from the menu that is medium priced or match the same price of the employer so that the respect is that you’re not taking advantage of their money. Also, her tip with clothing is that males should either take their blazer off or leave it on, but stick to one option. However, ladies shall not remove their blazers. We also cannot order any alcohol, even if the employer asks, because it is a test, since the interview is formal, and not casual enough to have alcohol with it. Lastly, her opinion with money is that the interviewee, or us, would never request to take the bill, or leave a tip. It is the employer’s job to do that. Overall, I think this event allowed me to be more knowledgeable not only for the interview, but also in general when I’m eating out at a formal place or meeting.
Interview with a CPA
My future career goal is to become a Certified Public Accountant. To help me to better understand the exact day to day life as a Certified Public Accountant, I decided to interview one. I interviewed Michael DiNoto, a Senior Associate in KPMG’s Metro Audit Practice. KPMG is a big accounting company and one of the Big Four auditors. I thought I could get some real insight into what I may be doing in the future by interviewing Michael DiNoto. First I thought it would be helpful to find out some background information about him. I asked him where he went to college and what his major was. He had went to Baruch and obviously his major was Accounting. He has received a BS in Accounting and MS in Taxation from Baruch. He has been licensed as a CPA in NY. I had also asked him what influenced his decision to go to Baruch and become a CPA. He told me he knew he wanted to go into business at a young age, and that in his junior year of high school he decided to become an accountant. While he was researching business schools with a good reputation for Accounting majors, he found Baruch. He thought there was no better option because it is perfect for him major, has a reasonable tuition, and would be a great way to get used to the city by the time he got a job there. One of the most interesting things he told me was the amazing internship he had gotten through Baruch. I always though internships offered little to no salary but he informed me that his internship with KPMG paid him over $50,000 a year. He also told me that his mother was an Accountant as well but she retired quite some time ago. Michael said she was a big influence in his decision to become an Accountant. I asked him what he did day-to-day as a CPA. He told me that he usually goes to the client site with a team from his firm, and brings his laptop. Then he usually stays there for a week sometimes longer and goes through all of their financial statement accounts and performs testing to make sure their financial statement accounts are correct. Then he and his team have meetings with different departments and with the controller or chief financial officer to understand their business better and to get all of the supporting documentation they need from them. I asked if there are any major perks of being a CPA and he said the best part is being able to travel. Being a CPA, he’s traveled for work many times. But he also gets 5weeks vacation every year and this allows him to travel wherever he wants to as well. He says that being a CPA is very stressful at times, but he does not regret his job choice and feels very lucky to be working for such a great company as KPMG. I found this interview to be very helpful and gave me great insight into my future career choice.
Internship Seminar
On October 30th, 2017, I went to the Internship Seminar held by Michael Kalish, which is a career development workshop. I participated this workshop to help advance my goals in my career because internships look well on resumes and allows me to gain experience.
I learned that there are unpaid, paid, credit, and zero-credit internships. Paid internships usually involve businesses and profit companies are required to pay or give credit. Credits must be approved by professors and related to your major. Unpaid internships are generally volunteer work for nonprofit organizations, while paid internships are to be paid minimum wage. Zero-credit internships are on the transcript and you need at least twenty-eight credits, 3.0 GPA, and must be accepted to one of the three schools. Also, they are treated like a class since they have a syllabus, orientation, final, etc. To apply for internships, you can go to STARR search, the SCDC bulletin boards, fairs, and through networking.
I learned that once you get an internship ask questions, be dependable, have enthusiasm, follow regulations, take initiative to learn by asking people, make a journal, and network/keep in touch. Keeping in touch would people would allow them to remember you and they can give a good review or recommendation on future jobs/another internship. Furthermore, a journal will help you remember and add what projects you completed onto your resume. Taking initiative is actively asking questions and reporting whenever you finish a task and awaiting another one. This will show that you really want to learn and is enthusiastic about your internships, but also asking questions is important.
Additional resources that were suggested were the Mock Interview Module – to test and record your interview skills, Vault – to research companies, Focus-2 test– for personality and job assessment, and STARR search – for postings for internships and workshops.